George Best: “The Fifth Beatle”

In many ways, George Best personified the Sixties. Best was a Northern Irish footballer who played on the wing for Manchester United for the lion’s share of his career. Best’s skill was indisputable; he made his debut in the First Division on 14^th September 1963, aged just 17. His first career goal came on 28^th December against Burnley, in what was just his second appearance. From then on, things only got better for Best. In the 1964-65 season, Best made his debut for Northern Ireland and won the First Division title with Manchester United. Best went on to win the title again with United in the 1966-67 season as well as two Charity Shields and the prestigious European Cup in 1968. In the same year as United’s European Cup triumph, Best received the Balon d’Or – the highest individual accolade that recognised him as the best footballer in the world in that year.

However, Best’s fame was not limited to the pitch. For many, George Best was the first true football celebrity; instantly recognisable in much the same way as David Beckham is today. Best was known for his looks and his extravagant lifestyle, famously joking “in 1969 I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life”. Best’s looks, lifestyle and personality produced the nickname “El Beatle” or the “Fifth Beatle” – though this lifestyle would eventually become too much for him.

In 1967, Best opened a fashion boutique in Sale named Edwardia, producing clothing for both men and women. Amongst Edwardia’s collection was Mod-style clothing, particularly smart suits. Best’s journey into the world of fashion only furthered his celebrity image and cemented his status as a Sixties icon. Best was undoubtedly responsible for the growth of a celebrity image of footballers even outside of the game. For example, in more recent times Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham have achieved worldwide, iconic celebrity status. In much the same way as Best, both men are also responsible for clothing lines as well as fragrances and many more. However, as Best’s personal life deteriorated, so too did his stake in the fashion business and Edwardia eventually closed its doors by the 1970’s.

Best often joked about his lifestyle and alcoholism, but these issues troubled him greatly particularly after his playing career. Best was twice convicted for drink driving, he once assaulted a police officer and was often drunk during his public appearances. The former image of a charismatic personality was sadly fading and by 2002 Best required a liver transplant. Tragically, this failed to stop Best’s struggle with alcoholism and, following complications after the procedure, he passed away after multiple organ failure.

As a football celebrity, Best was the first of his kind and - in many ways - an embodiment of the changing times of the Sixties. Best was the first to transcend football and become an icon to young men and women alike. Although Best will always be recognised as one of the greatest football players of all time, he will be remembered also by his lifestyle, personality and his celebrity status.

by Connor Epps

Muhammad Ali: Transcending Sport

There are few athletes who we can honestly say transcended their sport to become truly iconic. However, when we think of sporting icons many people think of Muhammad Ali. As if he needs any introduction, Muhammad Ali was an American heavyweight boxer, philanthropist and political activist. Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky and was named Cassius Clay before converting to Islam in 1964 and taking the name Muhammad Ali. 

There were many reasons why Muhammad Ali was so special – most obviously his boxing ability. Ali was an Olympic champion at the age of 18, winning light-heavyweight gold in the 1960 Olympic Games in Italy. Following this success, Ali turned professional and in 1964 became heavyweight champion defeating Sonny Liston by way of technical knockout. Ali retired from boxing in 1981 a three-time heavyweight champion having been involved in a series of iconic fights, most notably the “Thrilla in Manila” against Joe Frazier and “The Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman – both of which reportedly achieved an estimated one billion worldwide

 viewers. Ali’s boxing legacy remains untouchable to this day, as many fans today still consider him to be the greatest heavyweight of all time.

Ali was an unusual boxer; impossibly fast and agile for a heavyweight. Ali was set apart further from other boxers by his charisma. Ali truly was the pioneer of “trash-talk” that is perhaps more commonplace in today’s sporting climate. Ali remarked that Sonny Liston was “too ugly to be world champ” and possibly his most famous line “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” is known the world over. Ali set a new standard of entertainment that sport stars today are still following.

However, Ali truly transcended sport with his opposition to the American war in Vietnam. Ali fiercely opposed the war and refused to be drafted to military service, citing his religious beliefs. This act of defiance turned Ali into a controversial figure in the United States; he was subsequently stripped of his title, his boxing license was suspended and he was sentenced to five years in prison – though he would serve no time and this sentence would be later overturned. In standing up for what he believed in, Ali sacrificed his prime sporting years, his income and his passion – though one thing that was never under threat was his legacy. Ali became an inspirational figure for countless people across the globe, permanently redefining what it meant to be a truly great athlete.

In many ways, Muhammad Ali was a true anomaly; an impossible combination of unrivalled talent, sharp wit and charisma as well as the courage to stand up in what he believed in. Ali has created the blueprint for sports stars on how to become truly iconic, although few can match what he achieved.

by Connor Epps

Robert F. Williams: Monroe, King and the Black Power Movement

Robert F. Williams was a prominent and influential civil rights figure throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s who advocated armed self-defence for African Americans in the face of increasing white violence. Williams was an ex US Marine and served as the President of the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). It was Williams’ experiences of discrimination and injustices in the city of Monroe that helped shape his philosophy of meeting violence with violence – a marked departure from the pacifist values of the traditional Civil Rights Movement. Williams perceived Monroe and the American South as a ‘lawless’ [1] land that turned a blind eye towards white-on-black crime and stressed the inefficacy of pacifist methods against Southerners whom he believed only understood violence.

Such experiences that perhaps led Williams to become disillusioned with more conventional pacifist methods included an instance in 1959 where a black maid was kicked down the staircase of a Monroe hotel by a white man for ‘making too much noise’[2] while working in the corridor. The case went to court, where the defendant was subsequently exonerated despite the fact that he failed to turn up to trial. That very same day, Mary Ruth Reed appeared in court as the victim of an assault and attempted rape at the hands of a white man. Mrs Reed fled to the home of a white neighbour who witnessed the attacker chasing her and testified in court as an eyewitness. However, the defence attorney brought the attacker’s wife before the court and spoke of her beauty and purity – essentially asking the court why he would choose the black woman over his wife. Mrs Reed’s attacker was also acquitted despite Williams’ best efforts, leaving him feeling responsible for this injustice as he was adamant that the matter could be settled legally. It is little surprise that such appalling injustices and clear deep-rooted racial prejudice influenced Robert F. Williams to lose faith in the pursuit of legal justice and favour a philosophy centred around self-defence.

Williams’ rising prominence within the Civil Rights Movement as well as his non-conventional views inevitably led to debate with figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. Both men’s philosophies can essentially be boiled down to long-term and short-term strategies. King believed in a long-term strategy centred around educating the opposition to achieve real and meaningful change rather than token integration. For King, violence was never the answer – instead, activists were urged to apply ‘moral pressure’[3] and impose ‘creative tension’.[4] The concept of meeting violence with violence, on the other hand, offered a short-term solution to urgent issues that Williams saw in Monroe. The law was failing to act as a deterrent to crime in the American south; from Williams’ point of view, self-defence was the only solution to protect the black community from imminent violence.

Williams’ philosophy and ideals undoubtedly share themes with the Black Power Movement. Williams believed in the strength and unity of the black community to fight back wherever the American legal system failed them, thus demonstrating power over their own destinies. Williams’ perception of some peaceful activists as ‘cringing’[5] and ‘begging’[6] also indicates a high level of pride that is consistent with the ideals of Black Power. Robert F. Williams is remembered as a highly influential – albeit radical – Civil Rights figure, particularly amongst those sympathetic to the Black Power movement.

by Connor Epps

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[1] Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Williams, “The Great Debate: Is Violence Necessary to Combat Injustice?” in The Southern Patriot, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 1960.

[2] Robert F. Williams, Negroes With Guns, (New York: Martino Fine Books, 2013) p. 60.

[3] Six Steps of Nonviolent Social Change, in Martin Luther King, Jr., Why We Can't Wait, Penguin Books, 1963.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Williams, “The Great Debate”.

[6] Ibid.